Runaway
by PrincessMPA
Summary: Elena wants to get married, Caroline is against it, Klaus tries to avert the catastrophe and Elijah shines with his absence.


Runaway

Elena wants to get married, Caroline is against it, Klaus tries to avert the catastrophe and Elijah shines with his absence.

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"Did you talk to your brother?" Caroline pulled the door behind her a little harder than necessary.

" Love," Klaus emerged from the bathroom with just a towel around his hips and shiny, wet hair.

"She doesn't love him," the blonde put her hands on her hips. Why didn't anyone want to admit that? Elena didn't love Simon.

"It is Elena's decision. She and Elijah haven't seen each other for years. What makes you think that my brother could fix something," Klaus asked and pulled a white shirt out of his wardrobe. "Your best friend has been with this man for five years".

"She's marrying the wrong man anyway," Caroline could be persistent, Klaus knew, after all, they had been married for seven years, but what she was doing at the moment beat everything that had been there before.

"Did you talk to Elena about it?" asked the original hybrid.

"Of course," Caroline interrupted her husband. "So, did you talk to your brother? Yes or no?".

The original hybrid lowered its head. "I don't know where Elijah is," Klaus finally admitted.

"You don't know where Elijah is," Caroline repeated her husband's words in disbelief.

"No," Klaus confirmed. "Hopefully you didn't expect him to blow up the wedding at the last moment, did you?

"No, of course not," the blonde, piqued, threw back her curls.

"Care," warned Klaus. Since when were their roles reversed? At the moment he was the sensible one and his wife wanted to create chaos.

"She is making the biggest mistake of her life, of her entire existence," complained Caroline.

"Now you're exaggerating, love. A wedding is nothing final. Nothing a good divorce lawyer couldn't fix," Klaus sighed and grabbed his dark blue suit trousers.

"You don't want to help me dissuade my best friend from this wedding," the blonde said.

"This wedding is not even three hours away," Klaus reminded his wife. He crossed the room and kissed Caroline on the forehead. "I don't like Simon any more than you do. It was you who taught me that other people also have the right to their own opinion. Elena normally has a very good knowledge of human nature, what makes you doubt this time, love?" Klaus pulled her in and put his chin on her head.

"They don't belong together. Elena belongs to your brother', now she sounded almost desperate.

"Darling, the last time they saw each other was at our wedding. They were never together. The only kiss ever was almost 23 years ago. Alaric comes to lead your best friend to the altar. Jeremy comes with his wife and kids. Even Damon has agreed. Don't you think you're exaggerating?" he asked gently and wrapped one of her blond curls around his finger.

"Elena makes a mistake and if you don't want to help me, then... then I will find a way myself to prevent this wedding," Caroline freed herself from Klaus embrace.

"You're maid of honor, Care. Do you really want to do this to your best friend?" asked the original hybrid. Her roles were clearly reversed. Klaus briefly pinched himself in the forearm, but the pain proved to him that he was awake. So he didn't dream.

"I don't like Simon," she began meekly.

"You don't have to spend your existence with him," Klaus countered.

"That's right, I have you," the blonde stuck her tongue out at him.

Klaus grabbed her and playfully bit the blonde in the neck.

"Don't do that! I have to think," Caroline demanded. Klaus let go of her. He knew exactly when to give his wife time.

"I hope you're on time," he playfully raised his index finger. "I don't want to explain to Elena why her best friend doesn't come to her wedding," he honestly admitted. It took him years to establish a normal relationship with the doppelganger. Klaus wondered every time that it was possible to sit in the same room with her past. But Elena had once again proved that she could forgive anyone, but really anyone. He would have understood it if the doppelganger had made such an outline before his wedding with Caroline. He couldn't understand his wife at the moment.

Caroline had hurried down the stairs to the salon. There was only one person left to help her. "Rebekah," called the blonde, hoping that the blonde primeval vampire had not yet broken open.

"Caroline, you're talking to me again?" Rebekah met her in a floor-length red evening gown. She had put her hair up and put on a discreet makeup. Rebekah had organized the wedding of Elena and Simon, so Caroline hadn't spoken to her sister-in-law for a while. Well, that might have been a little over the top, but she didn't have to support her best friend with her crazy idea.

"Do you know where your brother is," the blonde asked without responding to Rebekah's accusation.

"Klaus is upstairs and dresses. In case you forgot, he picks up Alaric and the bride," the primeval vampire looked at Care provocatively. "You should change slowly," she added offended.

"I know where Klaus is myself. I mean your other brother," Caroline crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Care." Rebekah took a deep breath. "There was never anything between Elena and Elijah. I don't know why you shot yourself so hard into them belonging together. Your best friend gets married and instead of you being happy for her, you do everything you can to torpedo this wedding which, mind you, took me days to plan."

"Elena doesn't love Simon", the blonde was quite sure. Her best friend had told her herself three weeks ago. Elena and she had drunk a lot, probably a little too much, when the brunette admitted not to love Simon.

"Even if that's so, it's still Elena's decision whether to marry him or not," her sister-in-law could be very exhausting if she was convinced of something.

"You think Elena won't make a mistake but will be happy with Simon," Caroline asked frankly. The original vampire looked stubbornly to the ground. "Rebekah," demanded the blonde.

"All right. I also think it's a mistake," she finally admitted. "I put Elijah on his voicemail about two days ago. I don't know where he is either, but at least I wanted to try," she finally confessed.

"I don't believe this now." Klaus had stepped up to them. "Am I the only one who has no ulterior motives today," it burst out of the original hybrid.

"You don't understand," Caroline accused her husband.

"I understand that already. You don't like Simon. He's not good enough for your best friend, but let me tell you one thing, Caroline. No one will ever be good enough for Elena in your eyes. The ceremony begins in two and a half hours. Don't you want to change slowly," Klaus asked more conciliatorily.

Caroline looked down. "I'll be there on time," the vampire promised.

"I will now put the bride in her dress," Rebekah gave Caroline an encouraging smile.

"Maybe you're right and I'm exaggerating," Caroline rowed back.

"I'm always right," Klaus grinned.

"Not at all," she said and hit him lightly on the arm.

"I have to get Alaric. Can I leave you alone?" asked the original hybrid and the blonde nodded.

"Go on. I will hardly kidnap the groom," she gave her husband a nice smile and Klaus kissed her.

"I'd be very grateful if you wouldn't tell me if the priest "Anyone who can put forward a reason why this couple should not enter into the covenant of marriage should speak now or remain silent forever", Klaus grinned.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of blowing up this wedding," Caroline turned on her heel and disappeared up the stairs.

The original hybrid stood in the salon for a moment and looked after his wife. He felt like a hypocrite. He himself was against this marriage. He himself could not stand this vampire. Simon was an ass-kisser. He didn't understand why the doppelganger wanted to marry this man, but he accepted it. Caroline had done all the work for him, Klaus thought and set herself in motion. Walking, he pulled his cell phone out of his suit pocket. "Why don't you call him back," he muttered. He himself had left his brother three messages on his mailbox. Klaus knew that if anyone could prevent this wedding, it would be Elijah, but his older brother shone with absence. Either someone would find the courage to tell Elena that she was on the wrong track, or they would have to wait until the doppelganger recognized it herself and until then take it easy with Simon. Klaus shook it at the thought, yet the original hybrid grabbed his car key and set off.

The brunette looked into the mirror and tried to see herself in the picture. She was wearing a white ball gown with lace all over ( . ). Rebekah had hairstyled the doppelganger's half-open hair over her shoulders and given her breathtaking makeup. "You look incredible," the original vampire praised her own work. Elena swallowed and stretched out her hand to touch her reflection. She knew the beautiful, immortal face and yet the woman in the mirror looked strange. The brunette knew exactly how it had come so far. Simon had asked her a year and a half ago if she wanted to be his wife. They had dinner with Klaus and Caroline. Elena didn't want to offend her boyfriend, so she agreed that she would marry so quickly, she hadn't dreamed of it. She always thought she still had time, but then the invitations were sent out and the day of days came closer and closer. "You don't have to," she heard Rebekah say behind her and Elena scared up from her thoughts.

"I want to marry Simon," said the doppelganger automatically. Simon had been at her side for the last five years. She loved him. She really loved him, but more like a brother. Elena swallowed hard.

"Elena." said the blonde primeval vampire slowly. "Can you imagine eternity with him?" The question was not easy to answer. At the moment it looked as if eternity was really eternal. They weren't Caroline and Klaus, who passionately fought, yelled at each other and loved each other for hours afterward. It wasn't that she didn't like being with Simon, but was it enough for eternity? Why did the doubts come today of all days? She had thought about it often and for a long time. In the end, she had repeatedly come to the conclusion that she wanted to marry Simon. Caroline promised her that she would never be alone. Her best friend had done a lot to dissuade her from this wedding. Did she just want to marry Simon so she wouldn't have to spend eternity alone? Cold feet, thought the brunette and turned her thoughts to the wind.

Klaus had entered and again the doppelganger was torn from her thoughts.

"We're good to go." The doppelganger rose.

"Elena." Rebekah held the young vampire by her arm and looked at her insistently. They had become really good friends in recent years, but did Rebekah stand by the brunette to say that she was making a mistake?

"I know what I'm doing. I've thought all this through," said the doppelganger and gave her former opponent a warm smile. "You don't have to worry. Thank you, Rebekah," Elena embraced her friend.

"Be careful. Otherwise you'll ruin your dress," Rebekah gently pressed the doppelganger to herself.

"You look great," praised Klaus.

"And that from your mouth," laughed Elena.

Galant, the original hybrid offered her his arm. "I promised to escort the bride safely to the church," he joked and the brunette raked herself under him. Her relationship was long undercooled, difficult. But that changed with the day Klaus had asked Caroline to marry him. Elena congratulated them. She wasn't happy, but she accepted her best friend's relationship. She always wanted Caroline to be happy and that was all Klaus wanted. On that day, after years, he was able to come to a genuine and sincere apology. Surprisingly, the doppelganger accepted her and forgave him. "I can manipulate him," Klaus offered and Elena rammed him her elbow in the side.

"You are impossible! Altogether," the brunette cursed.

"Just an offer," Klaus rowed back. "In case you get tired of Simon." Elena wanted to pause in her movement, but she went on to Klaus Arm. Maybe her friends were right and she made a mistake. Caroline knew her better than anyone else on this planet and she advised her against this wedding. Maybe Elena was wrong about marrying Simon. Maybe she started a mistake. But when she saw Alaric, she knew there was no way back, at least not for now. Her surrogate father walked up to 60 with big steps and he was sick. Cancer. Elena had already experienced it once. Caroline's mother died of cancer and not even vampire blood could do anything about it. The brunette knew that Alaric wanted her to be happy and that it was one of the most beautiful days of his life to lead her to the altar. The older man approached her. His cheeks had collapsed. He had no more year that at least the doctors predicted him. Elena would fulfill one of Ric's greatest wishes and marry Simon. Everything else she could take care of later.

Two and a half hours were up fast, too fast for Caroline's taste. She didn't know what to do with the remaining time. She went to change and then went straight to church. The blonde wore a cream-colored lace-trimmed sleeveless dress that reached down to her knees. In the church, the vampire had made some last changes to the decoration. She wanted it to be perfect. Klaus was right. It was not her decision. "Caroline," Jeremy embraced his sister's best friend. He had grown older, Care thought. She noticed the few gray hairs that stood out from his dark ones. Jeremy wore a black suit and a white shirt.

"It's nice to see you again," Caroline said and took a look at Jeremy's children. Helena, seven years old and Jenna, five. They were like their mother's face.

"This is incredible." Jenny, Jeremy's wife had come out behind him. She still looked at Caroline in disbelief after all these years. She knew they were vampires. "You're not a day older," the blonde woman whispered in disbelief.

"I can hardly believe it myself on some days," Care honestly confessed and reached out her hand to Jenny. The vampire knew that Jenny didn't feel comfortable in her company, so she didn't give her a hug.

"I didn't think Elena would marry him," Jeremy said and looked around in amazement. "Who made the decoration?

"Rebekah," replied the blonde vampire.

"I heard my name," the original vampire appeared out of nowhere. Jenny laid a hand on her beating heart. "Excuse me." Rebekah reached out to her like Caroline and embraced Jeremy.

The blonde woman turned around and disappeared outside as fast as she could.

"It's still strange for her," Jeremy apologized.

"She still thinks we're going to suck her out," Rebekah laughed and shook her head. You had never given her a reason to think like that, not even Klaus.

"I always thought Elena would one day be called Mikaelson," Jer confessed and looked around stealthily.

"You're not the only one," Caroline said quietly.

"You have always interpreted too much into the relationship between Elijah and Elena," Rebekah shook her head again. Caroline gave her sister-in-law a meaningful look and she had to admit that she interpreted too much at one time or another. "Besides, nobody knows where Elijah is," she added.

Caroline turned her back on Jeremy and Rebekah. She knew that the witch had wrestled with her until the end. "It's good to see you," the young vampire's throat closed. Bonnie had not come to Carolines and Klaus wedding and the blonde had understood it.

"Care," the black-haired woman said cautiously. "It was a long time ago.

"Twenty years," Caroline confirmed and smiled. Bonnie had gone on her world trip and never returned.

"I'm sorry," the witch began and stepped carefully toward the vampire.

"Water under the bridge," Caroline waved off and pulled Bonnie close to the tears into a hug.

"Then this wedding has something good," Rebekah noted and nodded to the witch. Bonnie looked at the two blond vampire girls with a questioning look. But she said nothing.

"I hope you stay," Caroline carefully wiped the tears from her eyes. "Come, I will accompany you to your place. Caroline turned around on her heels and Bonnie followed.

The first two rows of the church were reserved for the family and the extended family. Jeremy, Jenny, their children and Alaric. Klaus, Rebekah, and Bonnie. Then followed some of Simon's friends. The 150-year-old vampire no longer had a family. In the next rows sat Damon, Matt, and his family and some other vampire friends. Caroline couldn't remember the last time she was so jittery. The blonde took a deep breath. She was a maid of honor and stood at the front of the altar. Simon was standing directly opposite her at the moment. Caroline looked directly at the door of the church. When the music started ( watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ) and the door opened, she held her breath for a moment. Elena went to Alaric's left arm. Ric looked good in his dark blue suit. He didn't seem quite as exhausted as the last few months. Her best friend had put on a stunning smile and yet Caroline didn't let go of the thought that Elena wasn't all there. Alaric handed the bride over to the groom on behalf of Elena's dead father, then sat down next to Jeremy. Caroline saw from the corner of her eye how the brunette gave Simon a smile.

"Dear bride and groom," began the priest. Somehow all this was not as they had always imagined it as children, Caroline thought and focused her attention again. "You are not alone in this crucial hour of your life. They are surrounded by people who are close to you and love you. You can be sure that you are connected with our congregation and with all Christians in the fellowship of the Church. At the same time, you should know: God is with you. He is the God of your life and your love. He sanctifies your love and unites you into an inseparable covenant of life. I ask you beforehand to publicly declare that you are determined to marry", Elena's parents would like this ceremony, Care thought, and now had to blink away the first tears. She knew why her best friend wanted it traditional, even though there was nothing traditional about two vampires who joined the marriage. "Did you come here to join your bride Elena Gilbert in the marriage after careful consideration and of your own free will?

"Yes," Simon said with conviction.

"Do you want to love and respect your wife and remain faithful to her until death does you part," asked the priest.

"Yes," Simon repeated the simple word.

"I ask you: Did you come here to make the marriage covenant with your groom Simon Lauer after careful consideration and out of your own free will?

"Yes," Elena said then. Caroline couldn't resist the thought that it sounded more like a question.

"Do you want to love and respect your husband and remain faithful to him until death does you part," the priest looked at Elena insistently.

"Yes," she said and this time did not hesitate so long. Now came the moment that Caroline was afraid of all the time and still hoped inside that somebody would get up. For one heartbeat, her gaze flew towards the door to see that Elijah was not coming.

"If any of those present have anything against this connection, may he speak now or forever remain silent," said the priest, and for a moment it remained dead silent. One would have heard a pin drop.

"Me," a soft voice suddenly sounded. Klaus view flew to his wife, but she looked just as surprised as everyone else. For a moment the original hybrid had really thought she would blow up her best friend's wedding. "I can't do that. I'm sorry," Elena took Simon's hand and turned around. Her breath went way too fast and her eyes scurried over the assembled guests, then she started running at human speed. Away from the altar, away from Simon and above all away from this stupid idea to marry him. Her heels resounded on the heavy stone floor of the church, and when she had passed the heavy wooden gate, she flashed away.

She'd just been walking for a while. She could never do that again, Elena thought. Simon would hate her and he had every reason to. She had left him at the altar. But she just couldn't. She couldn't marry him. Caroline had been right all along, she thought frustrated. She should have ended it when the first doubts came to her. The brunette reached a small town. She didn't know where she was. She only knew that she needed a drink. If she was drunk enough, she would call Caroline. Her best friend would pick her up anywhere. She hoped Jeremy and Alaric would still be there. She had to explain it to them and she had to ask Simon for forgiveness. Even if he would never forgive her. "Double whiskey, please," the doppelganger sat down at the bar.

The bartender looked at her with a questioning look. "Hard day?", he pushed the alcohol towards her.

"You could say so," Elena confirmed cryptically.

"I wouldn't have left her standing at the altar," said the bartender, whom the young vampire hadn't appreciated a glance before.

"I left him standing," the brunette murmured and the man behind the bar put the bottle next to her. Apparently, he didn't know what to say, so he turned to other guests again. Elena drank three glasses before someone settled next to her.

"Can't you sit somewhere else," the brunette hissed without taking her eyes off her glass.

"You didn't marry him," said one man and Elena's head shrugged in his direction. "Why?.

"Elijah," she whispered as she looked at him and her world seemed to stop for a moment.

"I'd like the same," the original vampire ordered.

The bartender gave him a questioning look. "Is he bothering you?" he asked Elena.

"No, not at all," the brunette replied quickly. The middle-aged man shrugged his shoulders and shoved a double whiskey at Elijah. The original vampire looked at his glass, then put his eyes on the bottle that stood next to Elena.

"If you would sit here in the wedding dress, you would also get a bottle," the bartender replied and Elena couldn't help grinning despite her bad conscience.

"Why didn't you marry Simon," the original vampire asked again after he emptied his glass.

Elena took a strong sip and sighed, "I don't love him," she replied truthfully. "I had another picture in my mind the whole time," she confessed and gave it to Elijah and herself. "Why didn't you call?".

Now it was up to him to answer honestly. "I would have tried to stop you," he finally confessed.

"I should have been stopped," said the brunette, feeling even more miserable. She hadn't thought about Simon for a second in church.

"Rebekah and Klaus had tried to contact me," he confessed quietly. Elena looked at Elijah in amazement. "I didn't want to break anything," he quickly added.

"It's been a long time," she said, thinking back to the day in Willoughby. Since then she couldn't forget how his lips tasted, how he felt. Elena breathed heavily.

"We could start over new," the original vampire suggested and reached for Elena's hand.

Slowly the doppelganger crossed her fingers with his. "Yes, we should," she agreed. They would leave new beginnings and everything behind, even if she knew it would take quite a while.

Caroline walked up and down. "I told you," said the blonde for the fifth time.

"I know," Klaus didn't know what else to say. Simon was about to freak out after Elena left him at the altar and only by manipulating Klaus had nothing worse happened. The original hybrid had sent him home and forbade him and his friends to do anything to Elena by manipulation, or even to seek her out.

"She does not love him. It's better that way," Jeremy said and sipped on his glass. Jenny and the children were in the hotel. She didn't want to go home to the vampires. Jer had promised to comply as soon as his sister had contacted him.

"I'm sorry the day didn't go the way you wanted it to," Caroline let herself sink next to Alaric.

"I would never have wanted Elena to marry someone she didn't love," he replied truthfully. "It's better that way," he said and lovingly stroked the blond vampire's back.

"You're not angry?" Caroline asked in amazement.

"How could I?" asked Ric. "I would have liked to have seen Elena's wedding, but she has eternal time. I just hope she doesn't run away from my funeral," he joked.

"That's not funny," grumbled Jeremy.

"No, Jer, it's a fact," Alaric put a hand on his shoulder. "You three are adults and you don't need me anymore. I think I did a pretty good job," Alaric had made his peace with death.

"We always need you," Caroline said to the tears.

He smiled. "Jeremy has Jenny. I never thought I'd say this, but you have Klaus. Elena has you and...", he was interrupted.

"Elijah," said the original hybrid quietly.

"What?" Jeremy and Caroline asked in unison.

"My brother found them. They come back to New Orleans in two or three days," Caroline had jumped up and ripped her husband's cell phone from her hand. It was there. Black on white. _Elena is with me. Give us two or three more days and ask Jeremy, Bonnie and Alaric to stay that long. Elena wants to apologize. Elijah._

"I told you," Caroline's voice sounded and Klaus sighed. What else should he answer?


End file.
